Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with clothing and costume

Yes, I've got a lulu. Why?

stuck on an island — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:25:06 -0800

Where can I find reasonably detailed reference images of smart everyday women's clothes from the 1940s, 50s and early 60s? After bemoaning the state of modern women's workwear for years, I've decided to draw my office wardrobe influences from the past. Specifically, the block of time bordered roughly by His Girl Friday and Mad Men. (Yes, I know.) To do this, I need images from the time to "clip" for reference and inspiration, but I can't figure out where to look -- searching specifically for costume images yields too few results, searching generally for the time periods yields too many.

Where should I look to get a good idea of what the woman in the street wore? I am not looking for haute couture or Hollywood glamour (although I'd welcome recommendations for good frock porn films) -- more along the lines of what a Sartorialist of the time might have photographed. I make clothes and am learning to draft my own patterns, so the more detailed the images the better.

Fire Fairy needs to pee!

radioamy — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:27:18 -0800

CostumeFilter: Where can I find a long-sleeved bodysuit (aka leotard with snaps)...in red or orange? I am going to be a Fire Fairy* for Halloween. However, I plan to wear this to work, and spaghetti straps are against the dress code. I was going to go with a red leotard underneath but then I started thinking about the logistics of using the bathroom while wearing a leotard, tights, dress and petticoat, and I'm thinking that a bodysuit (aka a leotard with snaps) might be the way to go...but where the hell do I find one?

I live in New Orleans, LA, US, and we have most major retailers here, but I'm fine buying online too.

*FWIW, I have a crinoline petticoat/skirt underneath it and am a bit heavier than the model on the site, so I don't look like a skank! Actually I think I look like an overgrown five-year-old, which is quite fun!

Men's Hollywood Fashion

Astro Zombie — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:05:44 -0800

Name some iconic men's outfits from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I'm speaking of outfits from movies made in and set in the 40s, 50s, and early 60s. (Contemporary films set in that era are also allowable, to a lesser extent.) I'm looking for clothes that are instantly identifiable with the role and the male actor, such as Bogie's white evening coat from Casabanca, Brando's biker uniform from The Wild One, and James Dean's red windbreaker from Rebel Without a Cause. It can be from a supporting character in a film, if the outfit is distinctive and recognizable enough. Focus on, but not limited to, dress clothes. Television shows from the era are also acceptable.

School dance costume ideas?

joshers13 — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:24:29 -0800

A school dance is fast approaching, and we don't know what to wear! Help! My school has a "Sadie Hawkins" dance, where the girls ask the guys, to mix things up. Couples are supposed to attend with "matching" clothing. The definition of matching is very broad. It could range from simply matching shirts, to full matching court regalia, and everything in between. My date and I are looking for fun, relatively simple, relatively cheap costume ideas that will wow the crowd or maybe make them giggle. Famous couples, clever puns and witticisms, creative/quirky/artsy/nonsense costumes, and all the other thoughts that come to the Hive mind are welcome.

I Put On Women's Clothing and Hang Around in Bars

SansPoint — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:34:34 -0800

I need a women's clothing article for a Halloween costume... trouble is, I'm a guy. How do I size things up? I'm going out as a member of DEVO for Halloween (for about the fifth year in a row...), and since the yellow radiation suits are expensive AND hard to come by now, I'd like to try and go for the "Whip It" video look. I need a sleeveless black turtleneck, which is a women's fashion item.

Now, I'm a 5'9" male, about 190 pounds, and wear an extra-large shirt. Women's sizes are NOT so simple. What size should I be looking for?

Oh, and I already have an Energy Dome.

Where can I find pixelated clothes?

drew3d — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 07:11:12 -0800

What pixelated clothing can I obtain that would complement my new pixelated ThinkGeek "8-bit" Necktie? I'm thinking about using the tie as part of a Halloween costume. But I need more. A t-shirt with pixel designs is OK, but even better would be something where the pixelation is part of the design, like with the necktie. Ideally the store selling the clothes would be online and ship quickly to the USA. Pixel shirts? Pixel pants? Pixel hats? Anything?

Help me find images of vintage Vegas attire for a party costume.

UnclePlayground — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 06:21:40 -0800

Help me find a costume for a Vintage Vegas Lounge Party. I'll be at a convention in Vegas soon. Final night has us attending a Vintage Vegas High Rollers Lounge party. "It's like hanging out with Dean, Frank, and Sammy at The Copa Room." I am not interested in the lounge singer/suit look -- too elaborate to get pull together on short notice and too much to haul cross-country. I'm more interested in the touristy, sleaze-ball, huge sunglasses, gaudy rings, sun-tanned look. But I need it to still be vintage and obviously shouts Vegas. (Is there such a thing?) I am male. Maybe I'm getting my stereotypes mixed up. Links to pictures, or amazing Google-fu results much appreciated! And let me know if you need more info, I'll be happy to provide it.

I am from the future and I just woke up

speicus — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 18:48:44 -0800

HalloweenCostumeFilter: Where can I find a shiny silver bathrobe, big fuzzy slippers and a toy raygun for cheap in LA or San Diego? Bonus points for finding all 3 in one place.